A dietitian is an expert in the field of food, nutrition and health and covers many specialty areas of practice, such as cancer, diabetes, heart, weight management, geriatric and child nutrition, food and food safety, and the list goes on.
I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and have been in practice for ...ah, well,... a long time. I passed the test to become a dietitian in 1975 so I'll let those of you interested figure out just how long I've been in practice.
To become a registered dietitian requires a 4 year Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited educational institution with subject matter including biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, basic and advanced nutrition, therapeutic nutrition, menu planning, quantity food preparation, experimental foods and more. I earned my Bachelor degree from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California.
After college, a dietitian must successfully complete an internship of 6-12 months in a medical environment where skills of nutrition assessment, care planning, patient education, quantity food production, purchasing and more are practiced under the guidance of experienced dietitians. Detailed projects and reports are required to be completed and submitted to the American Dietetic Association for approval. I was fortunate to complete this requirement of my dietitian education at Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
With all this education and practical experience behind, a dietitian must then pass the registration test, which is a 4-hour long nerve-wracking ordeal that verifies knowledge and qualifications. Much as many other professions, there are opportunities available to prepare for the test to assure passing on the first try. Fortunately, I did and became Registered Dietitian #408696 with the American Dietetic Association. It is not enough to just complete all the educational and practical requirements, a dietitian must also assure that their knowledge base remains current by completing 75 hours of continuing education every 5 years.
In 1984, while also working and being a single mother of 2 toddlers, I earned a Master of Science degree from Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon in Food Systems Management. So any of you single parents out there wishing to improve your earnings potential or simply go back to school, I'll tell you it is very possible with the support of your family and friends (and financial aid programs) and it is very worth it. So as my graduate professor and mentor always said, "just do it!"
I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and have been in practice for ...ah, well,... a long time. I passed the test to become a dietitian in 1975 so I'll let those of you interested figure out just how long I've been in practice.
To become a registered dietitian requires a 4 year Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited educational institution with subject matter including biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, basic and advanced nutrition, therapeutic nutrition, menu planning, quantity food preparation, experimental foods and more. I earned my Bachelor degree from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California.
After college, a dietitian must successfully complete an internship of 6-12 months in a medical environment where skills of nutrition assessment, care planning, patient education, quantity food production, purchasing and more are practiced under the guidance of experienced dietitians. Detailed projects and reports are required to be completed and submitted to the American Dietetic Association for approval. I was fortunate to complete this requirement of my dietitian education at Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
With all this education and practical experience behind, a dietitian must then pass the registration test, which is a 4-hour long nerve-wracking ordeal that verifies knowledge and qualifications. Much as many other professions, there are opportunities available to prepare for the test to assure passing on the first try. Fortunately, I did and became Registered Dietitian #408696 with the American Dietetic Association. It is not enough to just complete all the educational and practical requirements, a dietitian must also assure that their knowledge base remains current by completing 75 hours of continuing education every 5 years.
In 1984, while also working and being a single mother of 2 toddlers, I earned a Master of Science degree from Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon in Food Systems Management. So any of you single parents out there wishing to improve your earnings potential or simply go back to school, I'll tell you it is very possible with the support of your family and friends (and financial aid programs) and it is very worth it. So as my graduate professor and mentor always said, "just do it!"
